# Accident 20180430010689A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Borrego Springs, CA, April 30, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 30, 2018, 13:50 local time
- Place: Borrego Springs, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: UK6A
- Location: 33.2203° N, 116.2767° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2203&lon=-116.2767&mi=10
- Aircraft: N423ML, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N423ML-2019-09-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5 (registry code 41899, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ae1a5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-AE1A5
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 610 in this make and model, 180 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR18LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA133) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180430010689A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THREE GOLFERS FROM PALM SPRINGS (PSP) TO THE RAMS HILL GOLF COURSE IN BORREGO SPRINGS, CA EARLIER THAT MORNING. AFTER DROPPING OFF THE PASSENGERS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPOSITIONED BACK TO PSP. THE AIRCRAFT LATER RETURNED TO THE GOLF COURSE TO PICK THEM UP. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE GOLF COURSE WITH THE SAME THREE PASSENGERS ONBOARD. THE PILOT EXPLAINED THAT HE OBSERVED THE CLUTCH LIGHT ILLUMINATE FOLLOWED BY INCREASED ENGINE RPM AND THE LOW ROTOR RPM CAUTION LIGHT/HORN COMING ON. HE STATED THAT HE ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND THAT DURING THE FLARE HE LOST HEADING CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND, SPREADING THE SKIDS, AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAILBOOM DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE, CHOPPING OFF THE TAIL.

THE CRASH SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES NORTHEAST OF THE GOLF COURSE. THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY FIFTY FEET BEYOND THE MAIN WRECKAGE IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL.

THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. ALL THREE PASSENGERS WALKED AWAY FROM THE HELICOPTER AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSPORTED BY HELICOPTER AIR AMBULANCE TO A HOSPITAL IN PALM SPRINGS.

THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN AND RESULTING LOW-ROTOR RPM IS UNKNOWN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR18LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA133), Apr 30, 2018: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (N423ML), Borrego Springs, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of the helicopter’s drive system for reasons that could not be determined from the available evidence, which led to an autorotation that resulted in a hard landing and rollover on uneven…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.